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What Happened With Chris Jericho After AEW Dynamite Went Off The Air

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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The June 22 episode of AEW Dynamite has come to a close but the fisticuffs didn’t end once the cameras stopped rolling.

This week’s edition of Dynamite ended with a tag team match featuring Jon Moxley and Hiroshi Tanahashi taking on Chris Jericho and Lance Archer. The match ended when Tanahashi pinned Archer with the High Fly Flow.

After the match, members of Suzuki-Gun and the Jericho Appreciation Society brawled with Eddie Kingston, Santana & Ortiz, Wheeler Yuta, and Shota Umino.

Moxley and Tanahashi had a long staredown in the ring as they are set to collide in an interim AEW World Title match at Forbidden Door.

NJPW’s top star Kazuchika Okada also made an appearance. He saved Hangman Page from a two-on-one attack at the hands of Jay White and Adam Cole.

Off The Air

The brawl kept going once the TBS broadcast ended. Chris Jericho and other members of the JAS continued fighting with Eddie Kingston in the crowd.

Things have gotten personal between Jericho and Kingston. It’ll all lead to the Blood & Guts match on June 29.

Before that, they’ll get their hands on each other again on June 26 for the Forbidden Door PPV event. Jericho will team with Minoru Suzuki and Sammy Guevara to take on Eddie Kingston, Wheeler Yuta, and Shota Umino on the show.

Kazuchika Okada Appears on AEW Dynamite (Video)

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Kazuchika Okada has stepped foot inside an AEW ring.

The June 22 episode of Dynamite featured a match between former AEW World Champion Hangman Page and Silas Young.

Page ended up getting the win but he had no time to celebrate as he was interrupted by Adam Cole, followed by IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jay White.

Jay and Cole put the boots to Hangman but Okada’s music hit and he ran down to make the save.

Later in the show, AEW announced a four-way match between Jay White, Kazuchika Okada, Hangman Page, and Adam Cole for the IWGP gold at Forbidden Door.

Here’s Okada’s AEW debut.

There was a lot of speculation on “The Rainmaker’s” status for Forbidden Door. He has put the rumors to rest and many can agree that the AEW-NJPW crossover show set for June 26 just wouldn’t have felt right without him.

Rhea Ripley Reveals Injury That Got Her Pulled From Money In The Bank

Joey Galizia
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It was announced on this Monday’s episode of Raw that top women’s superstar Rhea Ripley was not medically cleared to compete and would no longer be wrestling at the upcoming Money In The Bank pay-per-view, where she was set to challenge Bianca Belair for the Raw women’s championship.

Today Ripley revealed the extent of her injury and it is much more serious than originally anticipated. When a fan commented on her Instagram post stating that Ripley didn’t appear to look very hurt she responded with, ““Brain/teeth. Can’t see a brain injury. Stop being incompetent and reaching at nothing.” There is no confirmation at this time as to how much time Ripley will miss.

Ripley recently joined the Judgement Day faction led by WWE Hall of Famer Edge and Damian Priest. However, Edge was recently removed from the group after Priest, Ripley, and new leader Finn Balor, betrayed the R-Rated superstar.

In Ripley’s place former SmackDown women’s champion Carmella will be taking on Belair at Money In The Bank.. The Queen of Staten Island earned the opportunity by winning a matchup on Monday’s Raw.

AEW Dynamite Results (6/22/22): Forbidden Door Go-Home Show, Kazuchika Okada Appears, Christian Cage

Robert Lentini
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AEW Dynamite aired live from the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. It was the final episode of Dynamite before AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door on June 26th. Jon Moxley and Hiroshi Tanahashi teamed up in the main event ahead of their Interim AEW Championship match at the PPV. Kazuchika Okada also walked through the Forbidden Door tonight on Dynamite and made his debut in All Elite Wrestling.

Dynamite Results (6/22)

  • Orange Cassidy & Roppongi Vice def. Will Ospreay & Aussie Open
  • Malakai Black def. Pentagon Jr to qualify for the 4-Way at Forbidden Door for the Mid-Atlantic Championship
  • Hangman Page def. Silas Young
  • Toni Storm def. Thunder Rosa
  • Jon Moxley & Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Lance Archer & Chris Jericho

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Bryan Danielson Will Miss Forbidden Door and Blood & Guts

Bryan Danielson kicked off this week’s episode of Dynamite with another unfortunate announcement for the promotion. Danielson said he’s got some good news and some bad news. He announced that he is not cleared to compete at Forbidden Door or at Blood & Guts. Danielson started ranting about all the injuries he’s overcome in the past and vowed to return to action soon. Zach Sabre Jr. showed up and stared at Danielson from the entrance ramp. The two were rumored to battle at Forbidden Door. Danielson added that his replacement will be amazing but did not reveal who it was. Bryan had some fun with fans on social media following his promo.

Orange Cassidy & Roppongi Vice Picked Up A Win

Orange Cassidy & Roppongi Vice (Trent Beretta & Rocky Romero battled Will Ospreay & Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) in a Trios match in the first match of the night. Cassidy and Roppongi Vice controlled the action early and posed in the ring. Rocky and Orange went for a couple of Suicide Dives but they both got caught. Ospreay and Davis Powerbombed them on the ring apron as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Cassidy hit his lazy kicks on Aussie Open in the ring. He followed it up with a Hurricanrana that sent Fletcher and Davis flying to the mat. Cassidy stared at Ospreay as a “freshly squeezed!” chant broke out. Roppongi Vice got back in the action and the three leveled Ospreay and Aussie Open with some dives outside the ring.

Back in the ring, Rocky Romero hit Ospreay with a Dropkick and Cassidy followed it up with a terrible Elbow Drop for a near fall. Cassidy went for the Orange Punch but Ospreay blocked it. Will responded with an Enziguri but Cassidy shrugged it off and hit the Stundog Millionaire.

Mark Davis and Rocky Romerto tagged in and traded strikes in the middle of the ring. Fletcher tagged in and continued to beat Romero down in the corner. Kyle connected with a Spinebuster and went for the cover but Rocky powered out at two. The action broke down and Roppongi Vice emerged from the brawl. Trent tagged in and but Ospreay caught him with a kick to the face.

Davis hit Trent with a Piledriver but Cassidy broke up the cover. Cassidy dodged a Moonsault and Ospreay turned around into a Crossbody. Trent hit a DDT on Davis and tagged Orange in. Cassidy hit Davis with the Orange Punch for the pinfall victory. Jeff Cobb & Great-o-Khan joined the party but ROH Tag Team Champions FTR made the save. FTR, Cobb & Khan, and Roppongi Vice will battle in a winner’s take all match at Forbidden Door.

Christian Cage Mocked Jungle Boy

Tony Schiavone interviewed Christian Cage on this week’s episode of Dynamite. Christian attacked Jungle Boy on last week’s show. He claimed that he wanted to align himself with Jurassic Express so that he could make a ton of money and doesn’t care about the younger talent.

Christian said that he never wanted to be a father figure to Jungle Boy. Cage noted that Jungle Boy’s dad (Luke Perry) is dead and that is probably a good thing because he didn’t live to see him become an embarrassment. He joked about Jungle Boy’s injury and congratulated him on “retiring” at the age of 25.

Jungle Boy’s theme hit but Luchasaurus rushed the ring. Luchasaurus grabbed Christian by the throat but Cage begged him to stop. Cage added that Luchasaurus is like a son to him and whispered something into his ear to end the segment.

Malakai Black Qualified For The Mid-Atlantic Title Match

Pentagon Jr. squared off against Malakai Black in a qualifying match for the 4-Way to crown the inaugural Mid-Atlantic Champion this Sunday at Forbidden Door. Penta connected with a Backstabber and went for the cover but Malakai kicked out at two.

When Dynamite returned, Penta and Malakai were battling on the ring apron. Malakai got back into the ring and Penta caught him with a Cutter for a near fall. Malaki battled back with a Moonsault off the middle rope and then a Double Stomp off the top for a near fall.

Penta hit a Piledriver off the middle turnbuckle but took an eternity to go for the cover and Malakai got his boot on the bottom rope. Malakai then hit Black Mass for the pinfall victory. After the match, PAC rushed the ring and Miro cut a brief promo vowing to win the Mid-Atlantic Championship.

Kazuchika Okada Appeared On Dynamite, 4-Way Announced For Forbidden Door

Adam Cole joined commentary for the match between Silas Young and Hangman Adam Page.

Silas applied a headlock but Page quickly escaped. Page booted Young in the face and launched him out of the ring. Hangman went for a Crossbody but Silas dodged it. Hangman connected with a Clothesline and made his way to the top turnbuckle. The former AEW Champion connected with a Moonsault as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Silas was in control but Hangman battled back with a Clothesline. Page then followed it up with a Belly to Back Suplex and the Buckshot Lariat for the pinfall victory. Adam Cole went to cut a promo but IWGP Champion Jay White interrupted on the entrance ramp. Jay said that he is responsible for making Forbidden Door as big as possible, but his opponent can’t be Adam Cole at Forbidden Door.

Jay noted that Adam Cole lost to Hangman Page twice and walked right by him. White entered the ring and told Hangman he won’t be facing him either. Hangman knocked the microphone out of Jay’s hands but Cole tripped him up. Adam Cole then waited for Jay to turn around and made it seem like he would hit him with the title. Cole asked Jay White to hit him with the title before Okada’s theme hit. Okada made his way to the ring and brawled with Cole & White. Hangman Page got back up and beat Cole down in the corner. Okada unloaded some strikes on Jay White before having a stare down with Hangman. Jay and Cole escaped out of the ring to end the segment.

Toni Storm def. Marina Shafir

Toni Storm battled Marina Shafir tonight on Dynamite. Nyla Rose accompanied Marina Shafir to the ring. Storm will face Thunder Rosa for the AEW Women’s Championship at Forbidden Door. Toni controlled the action early and caught Shafir with a Dropkick to the face. Marina battled back with a lariat and then a knee to the face. Marina distracted the referee and Nyla hit Toni with a Senton as Dynamite went to a commercial break.

When Dynamite returned, Storm battled back and connected with a German Suplex. Toni fired up the crowd and hit Shafir with a Hip Attack in the corner of the ring. Shafir went for a Gutwrench Suplex but Toni countered into a roll-up for the pinfall victory. After the match, Nyla Rose attacked after the match but AEW Women’s Champion Thunder Rosa made the save.

Jon Moxley & Hiroshi Tanahashi Picked Up A Win Ahead Of Their Interim Title Match At Forbidden Door

Chris Jericho & Lance Archer battled Jon Moxley and Hiroshi Tanahashi in tonight’s main event. Moxley and Tanahashi will face each other at Forbidden Door this Sunday to crown the Interim AEW Champion. Sammy Guevara and Tay Conti accompanied Jericho to the ring.

Moxley flipped Sammy and Tay off before entering the ring with Tanahashi. The match started out in a brawl with Jericho & Moxley exiting the ring. Jon unloaded a ton of punches as Archer and Tanahashi traded strikes. Hiroshi connected with a Dropkick and then went for a Clothesline but Archer was ready. Lance sent Tanahashi to the mat with a Chokeslam and tagged in Jericho.

Chris hit Tanahashi with a few chops to the chest and beat him down in the corner of the ring. Hiroshi battled back and hit some strikes of his own. Tanahashi awkwardly perched Jericho up on the middle turnbuckle and delivered a forearm strike to the back of his head. Jon Moxley tagged himself in and got Chris in a Headlock in the middle of the ring.

Moxley transitioned into a bunch of elbow strikes and then savagely bit Jericho on the top of his head. Moxley followed it up with a Clothesline to the outside and followed Jericho out there. Jon bounced Jericho’s face off the ring apron and slammed him into the barricade. Sammy Guevara tripped Jon up while the referee was distracted and Jericho capitalized with a Dropkick.

Lance Archer tagged in and traded punches with Moxley. Archer got the better of the exchange and sent Moxley to the canvas with a shoulder tackle as Dynamite went to the final commercial break of the night.

When Dynamite returned, Tanahashi rolled up Jericho for a near fall. Chris responded with a Codebreaker and went for the cover but Moxley broke it up at two. Jon leveled Archer with a dive through the ropes as Jericho & Tanahashi traded punches. Hiroshi ducked under the Judas Effect and connected with a slam. Tanahashi went for a Crossbody but Chris rolled through into the Walls of Jericho in the middle of the ring.

Moxley got into the ring and broke it up with a Cutter on Jericho. Tanahashi hit Archer with a Slingblade and everyone was down. Moxley and Archer tagged in and traded strikes. Archer went for a Powerslam but Moxley countered into the Paradigm Shift. Tanahashi tagged in and hit the High Fly Flow for the pinfall victory. Moxley and Tanahashi will compete for the Interim AEW Championship at Forbidden Door. Eddie Kingston and Wheeler Yuta rushed the ring to end the show in a brawl. Minoru Suzuki made his way down the ramp and traded punches with Wheeler Yuta traded punches. Suzuki bashed Yuta with a chair as Daddy Magic & Cool Hand Ange joined the brawl. Moxley and Tanahashi got back into the ring to trash talk some more as the show ended in chaos surrounding them.

Bad News for Bryan Danielson

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Fans hoping to see Bryan Danielson back in action soon may not want to hold their breath.

Danielson has been out of action ever since the Anarchy in the Arena match held at Double or Nothing late last month. He suffered an undisclosed injury that many within the company thought would only take a week or two to clear up.

As it turns out, things may be a bit more serious.

Bryan Danielson May Not Wrestle For A While

Bryan Danielson
Bryan Danielson (Photo: AEW)

Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer Live reported that sources told him that Bryan Danielson is “definitely out” of the Forbidden Door PPV set for June 26. On top of that, Alvarez has been told that Danielson may not be wrestling again for a while.

Danielson made an appearance on the June 22 episode of AEW Dynamite. He addressed his status for Forbidden Door and the Blood & Guts match set for June 29.

Danielson confirmed the news, saying that he has been forced off both shows. He has promised a replacement for Forbidden Door and Blood & Guts but fans won’t find out who that person is until June 26.

While the extent of Danielson’s injury hasn’t been made public, many are obviously fearing that it may be related to head trauma. That is simply speculation at this time. Of course, Danielson was forced to retire at one point as WWE doctors wouldn’t clear him due to a history of concussions.

Danielson was eventually cleared to wrestle in WWE again. He had worked a safer style in the company, however, and certainly hasn’t taken things easy since jumping ship to AEW.

Triple H Makes Major Statement During WWE PC Visit

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Triple H may have just given a big update on his future with WWE.

“The Game” has been dealing with health issues, which forced him to retire from in-ring action. He has a defibrillator in his chest due to heart failure and many have questioned whether or not he can take on a potentially stress-inducing role behind the scenes ever again.

While details are scarce at this time, Triple is said to have made quite the statement during a recent visit to the WWE Performance Center.

Triple H Says He’s Back

Triple H
(via WWE)

John Pollock of POST Wrestling is reporting that Triple H spoke while inside the WWE PC on June 22. It’s been said that “The Game” declared he’s “back,” although exactly what he means by that remains to be seen.

“According to multiple sources, Paul Levesque was in Orlando today and spoke at the Performance Center. Of the people I heard from, Levesque stated ‘he’s back’ – it is unknown what that entails but that was the wording I was given.”

Many have speculated that this is in regards to a potential return on the creative side of things for NXT 2.0. When Hunter was forced to step away due to health issues, his NXT team was gutted and the vision was changed.

The show has been doing far worse in viewership than it was when Triple H was at the helm. The whole point of the change, however, was to make the NXT brand a true developmental system to build the type of characters Vince McMahon would want on the main roster.

It’s pretty much certain that Hunter isn’t talking about an in-ring return. As one would imagine, WWE’s medical team wouldn’t clear him to have another match.

Dewey Foley Parts Ways with WWE

Thomas Lowson
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WWE is full of writers and members of the creative team, who are tasked each week with coming up with new stories for the shows.

The Company’s creative team are often criticized by fans for the storylines we see on TV, but will now have to operate without one notable name.

Dewey Leaves

PW Insider were the first to report that Foley has parted ways with WWE.

It’s reported that while many have been released by WWE due to budget cuts, Foley chose to leave the promotion.

One source claimed that Foley left in April though that has not been confirmed at this time.

Dewey in WWE

Dewey Foley’s first WWE appearance came all the way back in 1999, when he and the Foley family watched at ringside for Mick’s I-Quit match with The Rock at that year’s Royal Rumble.

Before joining the WWE, Foley proved his credentials by posting writing samples on CreativeWWE.wordpress.com containing a lot of storyline ideas for the company.

In 2015, Dewey signed with WWE and served initially as a writing assistant, before becoming a fully-fledged part of WWE creative.

In August 2020, it was reported that Foley, alongside Adam Pearce was now running 205 Live, with the Wrestling Observer Newsletter describing the pair as “the key creative forces” behind the Cruiserweight division.

Foley occasionally played the role of Mr. Bootyworth in segments featuring the New Day.

Mick Foley’s Son Involved In WWE SmackDown Angle, The Rock Hypes His Latest Book

Athena Compares Working For Tony Khan And Vince McMahon

Steve Fall
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AEW star Athena recently spoke with SEScoops correspondent Steve Fall for NBC Sports Boston about what it is like working for Tony Khan vs Vince McMahon.

Vince McMahon WWE Tony Khan AEW 1

“Tony is extremely busy, but my interactions with him have been insanely different than that of my former boss,” Athena said. “Because he’s just excited, he’s pumped, he wants to get everyone pumped up as he is. It’s the first time I think I had a show … He’s just going up to every match like, ‘Let’s go! Let’s get this!’ I’ve never had that. And it’s just energy on cloud nine, every step of the way. Sometimes, the couple of days I’ve been there, we’re there for like fourteen hours and his energy doesn’t drop. He’s so motivating, he’s so pumped about everything that’s on the TV product, which I’m not used to on any level.

“Normally it’s like, ‘Alright. Go out there, blah, blah, blah. Cool, you know what you’re doing.’ And then on the other end, you’re getting Tony like, ‘You pumped for this?! You ready to go?!’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah! Let’s go!’ I don’t know how to explain it. He’s so high energy and so positive that you just want to feed off that aura. I’m like, ‘I want that caffeine level that you’re at, but I’m afraid I might have a heart attack!’

For fourteen hours, there’s not a drop. Not a drop. And he’s extremely appreciative that everyone is there. I don’t know how to explain it, but so far, I’m just like, amazed. I could people watch Tony all day long because you want to go so much harder for him, out in the ring and stuff. You’re like, ‘Yeah! He’s pumped! He loves it! Yeah!’”

Vince McMahon Tony Khan.jpg.optimal

“I think the best way to describe it is I think the former place, if you will, demanded perfection,” Athena said. “It didn’t matter what curveballs were being thrown at you, there was just very stoic energy of, ‘Alright, this is what we expect out of you. Do it.’ And if you don’t do it, you get ripped a new one. Sometimes it’s like, ‘Okay, cool, we understand problems happen.’ But there was never that high energy.

Hunter was the exception to that, I will say that. But coming into AEW, you get pumped, you get excited. Every match, he (Tony) is there. He’s in the huddle with everyone. I’m like, ‘Where did you come from?’ I feel like he’s just teleporting backstage; I’ll leave one area and see him talking here, but in some kind of way, he’s doubled in front of me. I’m like, ‘How? You were…’

“He cares, and he shows outwardly that he cares. And it’s not demanding perfection, it’s like, ‘Hey, you go out there and do the best damn job. And if it’s perfect, I’m happy. If it’s not, I’m happy. I’m just excited that you’re here, willing to put your body on the line for this company.’ That’s the type of energy. So it’s like, ‘Alright, I’m going to go put my body on the line! Let’s go!’ The energy, the aura backstage, it’s so different, it’s so positive. Everyone wants to help each other, everyone is just excited to be there, right? Which is weird because I’m not used to that on any level. It’s so exciting.”

Ex-Ring of Honor World Champion Out With an Injury

Thomas Lowson
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Fans of former Ring of Honor World Champion Bandido won’t be seeing much of him, as he’s currently dealing with some kind of injury.

Bandido was advertised for a WrestleRex event set to go down in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on June 30, but has now been pulled from the event.

The promotion confirmed that Bandido is dealing with some kind of injury, but did not specify what has happened to the wrestler.

It isn’t known who Bandido was scheduled to face at the event, but he has been replaced by former WWE Superstar Lince Dorado.

The Injury

Bandido hasn’t confirmed when exactly the injury took place, but the current belief is that it happened at the recent AAA TripleMania event.

On the show, Bandido faced Rey Fenix, Black Taurus, Laredo Kid and El Hijo Del Vikingo in a match for both the AAA World Cruiserweight and Latin American Championships.

During the match, Bandido landed badly on his head and was stretchered out.

He later stated on Instagram that his neck was not fractured though added that he did need to rest.

Fenix would win the match and both titles.

Future Plans

At tomorrow’s Battle Riot IV event in New York, Bandido had been scheduled to face MLW World Champion Alex Hammerstone.

However, given this injury, it is unlikely that Bandido will make it to the match.

At this moment, no timeline has been given as to when Bandido will be fully healed and back in the ring.

Bandido Breaks Silence On No-Showing GCW Event

Ric Flair Loses it After AEW Star No-Shows his Podcast

Thomas Lowson
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Next month, Ric Flair will have his last ever match, bringing his incredible in-ring career to its final end.

Flair has been training with AEW’s very own Jay Lethal ahead of his last match, and fans may remember their infamous interactions in TNA Wrestling many years ago.

Given that the pair are training together, you’d naturally assume the duo is close, but things got tense this week.

Lethal No Shows

Lethal was scheduled to appear on Ric Flair’s podcast this week but didn’t appear in any capacity.

In his response, Flair went on the show to claim that Lethal has an “attitude,” which has caused friction between them (via WrestlingNews.co.)

“Is he gonna hear this, if I say it? I don’t care. He’s got an attitude. He wants to be part of the show. And I said it ain’t gonna happen. You know how that happens all of a sudden and everybody’s feelings are hurt. You know, this is what we discussed, some people’s feelings are gonna be hurt.

“I’m not saying anything bad. I don’t have the authority, even though [I am a] co-owner of this venture. I don’t have the authority to put him on the card. So I think he’s upset about that, but he’ll get over it.

“They can block this out but you can’t make chicken salad out of chicken sh*t.”

Ric Flair, on Jay Lethal no-showing his podcast.

Lethal hasn’t responded publicly to Flair’s comments at this time.

Ric Flair’s Last Match Moved to a Much Larger Venue

Initial Plans for WWE Main Roster Debut

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Original plans for a current NXT 2.0 star to join the main roster have been revealed.

The WWE machine has been trucking along for a long time. It’s gotten to the point where the company has its own developmental brand, rather than relying on a separate promotion.

That brand is NXT and it has undergone many changes throughout the years.

One NXT talent who has been making a name for himself was initially due for a big spot on the major WWE shows but the timing wasn’t right.

Original Plans For Solo Sikoa

Solo Sikoa
(via WWE)

Solo Sikoa, the younger brother of Jimmy and Jey Uso, has quickly become a fan favorite on the NXT brand. Some believe he can turn into a top star if he and WWE play their cards right.

Sikoa recently revealed to BT Sport that there were initially plans to have him sent to the main roster to be aligned with The Usos.

“I don’t want to be referred to as their brother, their cousin, I want people to recognize me for me. Before I debuted, they wanted to put me with The Usos, but they said ‘let’s see what you can do alone.'”

Sikoa said he was more than happy with the change of plans because he said it sparked a fire within him. He was happy to get a chance to shine on his own rather than have The Bloodline carry him early in his WWE run.

More recently on NXT, Sioka has found an ally in Apollo Crews.

Another AEW Star Dealing With An Injury

Joey Galizia
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AEW has been bit by the injury bug badly over the last month, with top stars like CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, Adam Cole, Darius Martin, and more being sidelined. Unfortunately, another name will now be added to the list.

The House of Black’s Buddy Matthews has revealed on Instagram that he is dealing with a shoulder injury. In his post the former NXT cruiserweight champion is seen working out, where he writes that he has been able to slowly increase his weight limit, but specifies that his movement is limited. Matthews does not mention the extent of the injury, or if he will be missing any time.

The full post reads, “Always a work in progress. Dealing with a shoulder injury which limits a lot of my shoulder movements. But slowly increasing the weight again. He better than you were yesterday!”

Matthews last competed in a losing effort against PAC a few weeks ago on Dynamite. Since arriving in the company back in February he has mainly been wrestling alongside Brody King and faction leader Malakai Black in trios action. The group has yet to be defeated in six-man tags.

AEW has yet to release any additional details on Matthews injury. Check out his post below.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CfEthuJDkqf/?fbclid=IwAR2P0wFK9oyQGZqO10IMI4oOmc0xMa_Udo92-OR0iQGdY96RJTPnCv9_Zjk

Eric Bischoff Explains Why He Supports Another Reigns vs. Lesnar Match

Jon Fuentes
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Eric Bischoff is actually in favor of WWE and their decision to book Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar yet again.

WWE has received a bit of push back for again booking Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar opposite one another for the World Title. The pairing of Reigns and Lesnar has been made several times already.

The duo have headlined numerous WrestleManias opposite one another, as well as SummerSlams. Now, they’ll rematch yet again at SummerSlam on July 30. It will be their rematch from WrestleMania 38 this past April, where they also headlined.

Recently, former WCW president Eric Bischoff took to his podcast, “83 Weeks” to offer his take on the situation. Bischoff actually supports the booking, and dove a little deeper to explain why.

“I can’t wait to see it. I know they’ve wrestled seven times or whatever it is – seven, eight, 20, whatever. It doesn’t matter. Remember when Brock came back most recently, when it was first announced that Brock was coming back?

“I think it was on 83 Weeks, I said, ‘You know what, it’s not gonna do anything for me. If he’s gonna come back as the same old Brock – the man killer, one dimensional, no promos, go out and eat people and spit them out, go home – it’s not gonna do a thing for me.’

“We’ve seen that guy. A lot of him. This is not that guy. This Brock Lesnar is a completely different Brock Lesnar in many respects. He’s a different character. He’s having more fun when he goes out there. He’s not relying on Paul [Heyman].

“He’s cutting a lot of his own promos. He’s coming to the ring looking and feeling like the Brock Lesnar that I know. I’m not suggested I know him real well, but he’s a farmer cowboy. He’s coming out there with a different vibe.

“So yes, we’ve seen the match before, but we haven’t seen this character before. So let’s just wait and see. I’m not against it. I think it’s awesome.”

Eric Bischoff has been very critical of both WWE and AEW over the years. In fact, his recent critiques of AEW have landed him in hot water with AEW president Tony Khan.

The pair have been exchanging words through the media in recent weeks, as fans have witnessed that relationship go sour in a hurry. As for Bischoff and WWE, Bischoff actually worked for WWE briefly as close back as 2019, however, that only lasted for a few months.

Now, Bischoff is a member of the “Ad Free Shows” network hosting several podcasts and analyzing the professional wrestling world as a former executive and current fan.

Quotes via 411Mania.com

Ex-UFC Star Greg Hardy Waiting on Call from WWE or AEW

Jon Fuentes
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Former NFL and UFC star Greg Hardy is waiting on a call from either WWE or All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

Recently, Hardy left the UFC after the Las Vegas-based mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion opted not to re-sign him once his deal expired. Now, Hardy has signed with Bare-Knuckle FC (BKFC) and will be competing in bare-knuckle boxing.

However, Hardy seems interested in a potential career in professional wrestling as well. The former Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman spoke to Chris Van Vliet about what’s ahead for him.

Hardy said he’s waiting on a call from either WWE or All Elite Wrestling (AEW), seemingly inspired by the likes of Rey Mysterio and Goldust.

“Somebody hit me up, AEW, WWE, hit me up. I’m down,’ Hardy said. “I’ll get in the gym right now. I’ll show up with the Monday night muscles and jump off the side of the rope on anybody. I’ll come out with one of those Rey Mysterio type masks.

“I’m going to grab a design artist too. You have to have showmanship, or like Goldust, something crazy. It has to be entertainment level stuff. You can’t just come out with tights on and have a six-pack unless you’re Brock Lesnar or The Rock.

“I’m an old school fan. I would love to get in there. I’m waiting for the call. If you know somebody that is watching this right now, hit me up and let’s get to work.”

Of course, any signing of Hardy wouldn’t come without a bit of controversy. Hardy has a 2014 arrest for domestic violence, amongst several other run-ins with the law, that seemingly ended his NFL run.

It’s certainly possible WWE and AEW would prefer to steer clear of Hardy and the baggage he brings to the table.

https://youtu.be/uofxZelXWk4

Quotes via WrestlingNews.co

Tony Khan Shows Interest in Bringing AEW to Japan

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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AEW President Tony Khan is intrigued by the possibility of venturing out to Japan.

We’re just a few days away from the big AEW-NJPW crossover show Forbidden Door. The PPV event takes place inside the United Center in Chicago, Illinois on June 26.

As we draw closer to the event, Japanese wrestling fans are wondering if it’s possible that AEW will make its way to “The Land of the Rising Sun” one day.

AEW in Japan?

Takami Ohbari, Tony Khan
(via AEW)

During an interview with Tokyo Sports (Michael Nakazawa serving as the interpreter), Tony Khan discussed the possibility of holding an AEW event in Japan (rough Google translation):

“I haven’t held a tournament in another country yet, but I would like to try to deliver AEW to the world. Of course, I want to hold a tournament in Japan, and if I do, I would like to invite a lot of new Japanese players. Japan is definitely included in the list of countries where you want to have an AEW tournament.”

Khan also had high praise for NJPW’s “Ace” Hiroshi Tanahashi, who will meet Jon Moxley for the interim AEW World Championship at Forbidden Door.

“Tanahashi (Hiroshi) is a charismatic and legendary person who leads the industry. He has a very strong heart … He is an indispensable part of the history of New Japan.”

The June 22 episode of AEW Dynamite is expected to feature a slew of NJPW talent to help promote Forbidden Door this weekend. One of the big names expected for the show is Zack Sabre Jr., although that is a report and hasn’t been confirmed by AEW.

Backstage Reaction to Vince McMahon’s Public Appearances Amid Investigation

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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There are some rumblings backstage over in WWE regarding Vince McMahon’s recent appearances.

Vince is under investigation by the WWE board over an alleged secret $3 million pact with a former employee. After the report was released by The Wall Street Journal, WWE named Stephanie McMahon as the interim CEO and Chairwoman of WWE.

Vince’s duties on the creative side of things remain unchanged, and he hasn’t been shy in letting people know about it.

Internal Reaction to Appearances

Vince McMahon
(via WWE)

PWInsider is reporting that there is a lot of sympathy for Stephanie McMahon backstage over being brought back in after being buried by executives in the media and wanting to step back.

It’s also been said that there is a lot of “head shaking” over Vince McMahon’s public appearances on Raw and SmackDown after The Wall Street Journal report. The internal feeling is that Vince is “in denial” that this is a serious situation.

The report also notes that a lot of employees have been mum on the Vince news to avoid getting caught up in the mess.

John Laurinaitis is on leave of absence as it was said in The Wall Street Journal report that Vince allegedly passed the ex-employee over to Laurinaitis “like a toy.” Bruce Prichard is now the interim Head of Talent Relations.

Nikkita Lyons Return Update

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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There is a positive update on Nikkita Lyons made official by WWE.

Lyons was expected to perform in the semifinals of the NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament on May 24. She ended up being pulled due to an injury.

Lyons revealed that she had suffered a partially torn MCL. She referred to it as just a sprain and didn’t expect to be out of action for long.

Nikkita Lyons Returns Next Week

Nikkita Lyons
(via WWE)

During the June 21 episode of NXT 2.0, it was announced that Nikkita Lyons will be making her return during next week’s episode (June 28).

Some had Lyons as the favorite to win the NXT Breakout Tournament before she suffered her injury. Roxanne Perez ended up defeating Tiffany Stratton in the finals to take that honor.

It’ll be interesting to see what Lyons has in store upon her return to WWE’s developmental brand.

She hasn’t competed since the first round of the tournament when she defeated Arianna Grace.

Yet Another WWE Superstar Receives Name Change

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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You can add another WWE superstar to the list of talents who have received a name change.

WWE has long been known to make adjustments to characters. Sometimes, a talent will receive a full-blown makeover, while other times it can be as simple as new theme music.

In the case of this particular performer, he will no longer be using his real name on WWE programming.

Jordan Devlin Gets New Name

Jordan Devlin
(via WWE)

Jordan Devlin will be making the move from NXT UK to NXT 2.0. With the move comes a new name.

Devlin will now be referred to as “JD McDonagh.” WWE had a vignette on the June 21 episode of NXT 2.0 promoting McDonagh’s inevitable arrival to the brand.

Devlin is a former NXT Cruiserweight Champion. His final appearance on the NXT UK brand was a loser leaves town match. He fell short against NXT UK Champion Ilja Dragunov.

WWE did not reveal a date for Devlin’s debut on the NXT 2.0 brand but promised he will be “coming soon.”

Devlin first appeared on WWE programming back in early 2017. He participated in the first-ever United Kingdom Championship tournament. He was defeated by Tyler Bate in the quarterfinals.

AEW is Trying to Find the Best Home for Canadian Debut

Thomas Lowson
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In the three years since being founded, AEW has proven to be a hit with wrestling fans around the world.

AEW content is aired in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia, but has so far only hosted shows in the United States.

Fans around the world have been clamoring for AEW to bring their unique brand of programming to their countries, and now audiences in Canada are one step closer to watching AEW live and in person.

AEW in Canada

While speaking to The Star in Canada, Tony Khan addressed plans for one of his promotions to travel to the Great White North (via nodq.com.)

“We’re all back on the road this past year and we’ve been all over America, but I do look forward to bringing an AEW live events to Canada soon. I think we have a chance to really build a strong presence, not only what we’ve established on television with TSN, but also with live events for the fans.”

Khan also praised Canada for being the home of some of AEW’s wrestlers, including Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega, Christian Cage and Kyle O’Reilly.

“We have a lot of great Canadian wrestlers and I’m excited about the possibility of our live events here because we’ve had great success on TV here.”

Tony Khan.

While Khan said that Toronto is his current favorite to host AEW’s debut event in Canada, he also mentioned Winnipeg, Calgary, and Vancouver for future events.

Cody Talks The Success Of TNT Title, Teases Canadian Version

Is Seth Rollins Actually Better than Roman Reigns?

Thomas Lowson
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Everyone wants to be the best at what they do, and professional wrestling is no exception.

In WWE today, it’s safe to consider Roman Reigns the biggest Superstar of the current era, as the “Head of the Table” is now in his 661st day as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.

Reigns has dominated WWE since his heel turn and title win in August 2020, but Seth Rollins believes he has a leg-up on the Champ.

Rollins’ Comment

This week, the New York Post published an article, saying that Rollins is on an all-time run in WWE.

The article said that Rollins’ current run may be better than the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.

Responding, Rollins told the NYP to drop the maybe, assuring that he is definitively better than the “Tribal Chief.

Reigns Vs. Rollins. Who is Better?

Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns have had their careers compared for years, thanks in part to their simultaneous debuts at Survivor Series 2012.

In terms of metrics, Reigns has a clear advantage, being taller, bigger, and with more World Championships to his name.

However, Rollins is often considered the better wrestler between the two given the multiple styles he can bring to the ring.

Rollins is considered by many to be the more popular of the two, given that Reigns was hated by fans for much of his tenure as a babyface.

“The Architect” also has some accolades Reigns does not have, including two tenures as Intercontinental Champion, as well as being a former Mr. Money in the Bank.

Rollins is also the only person to hold a PLE victory over Reigns since the latter’s heel turn, albeit via disqualification at the 2022 Royal Rumble.

With that said, it’s clear which name WWE considers to be a bigger star, as while Rollins competes each week, Reigns’ appearances are becoming rarer and treated as a much bigger deal.

WWE NXT 2.0 Results (6/21): D’Angelo vs. Hayes, Grayson Waller In Action

Andrew Ravens
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The June 21, 2022 episode of WWE NXT 2.0 aired live on the USA Network from Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center. 

WWE NXT Results 

  • Grayson Waller defeated Solo Sikoa.
  • Kayden Carter and Katana Chance defeated Valentina Feroz and Yulisa Leon.
  • Roderick Strong and Damon Kemp defeated Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro (w/Stacks and Two Dimes.)
  • Cameron Grimes defeated Edris Enofe (with Malik Blade).
  • Von Wagner defeated Brooks Jensen.
  • Alba Fyre defeated Lash Legend by DQ when Lash used Alba’s bat.
  • NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes (with Trick Williams) defeated Tony D’Angelo 

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Grayson Waller In Action

3nxt 1

Grayson Waller defeated Solo Sikoa in a singles match.

This match was set up last week when they got into a confrontation leading to a challenge from Sikoa. Waller eventually accepted the match.

WWE had these guys open the show and gave them plenty of time to have a good match with Waller going over. 

https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/153940187962030489

Tag Team Match

05nxt

Roderick Strong and Damon Kemp defeated Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro (w/Stacks and Two Dimes) in a tag team match. Two Dimes tripped Wilde and Strong hit a flying knee strike for the win. 

This was the final appearance of Two Dimes, who was released by the company in the same week that this show was taped due to him failing a drug test.  It’s been reported that he was told by WWE management that they might bring him back in a year. 

The match was set up last week  after Strong ran down the rest of the Diamond Mine. The Creed Brothers said they put Strong and Kemp in a match, but Strong didn’t like the idea. He was eventually talked into it.

Cameron Grimes Victory

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Cameron Grimes defeated Edris Enofe (with Malik Blade). Grimes went over with his finisher. 

Grimes is slated to challenge NXT Champion Bron Breakker for the title at the Great American Bash special on July 5th. 

Time To Talk

6 NXT

Toxic Attraction came out to the ring. They called the win from last week a fluke in an in-ring promo. Cora Jade and Roxanne Perez interrupted. 

Perez said that the best thing about dreams is who you get to share them with. Perez said one day she will become Women’s Champion, but for now, it would be much more sweeter to win the Tag Team Titles with her best friend

They wanted to challenge for the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship. Kayden Carter and Katana Chance interrupted and said that they’re still in the hunt. A brawl broke out.

Title Match

2nxt 1

NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes (with Trick Williams) defeated Tony D’Angelo (with Stacks, Two Dimes, Santos Escobar, Cruz Del Toro, and Joaquin Wilde) to retain the title with the help of Santos. 

Post-match, Tony, Stacks and Two Dimes stared down Santos, Joaquin, and Cruz.

Last week, D’Angelo presented Stacks and Two Dimes with expensive watches after they defeated Legado del Fantasma at NXT In Your House. D’Angelo said after his win, he wanted gold of his own, which brought out Hayes. After exchanging words, D’Angelo said he’d face Hayes for the North American Title and the match was booked. 

AEW Star Banged Up During Match in Mexico

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One AEW star didn’t leave Mexico unscathed following a match during AAA’s TripleMania event this past weekend.

If there’s one thing major promotions can agree on, it’s that injuries are bad news. We’ve seen WWE hit hard with the Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton injuries. Reigning AEW World Champion CM Punk recently underwent surgery and he’ll be out for a little while.

Some injuries are more severe than others and in the case of one AEW veteran, the hope is that he hasn’t sustained anything serious.

Matt Hardy Suffers Swelling

Matt Hardy
(via AEW)

Matt Hardy recently teamed with John Hennigan to take on Dragon Lee and Dralistico at the TripleMania event in Mexico. Fightful reports that Matt was banged up as a result of the match and suffered some significant swelling in his knee.

At this time, there is no word on the severity of the injury. Obviously, AEW officials are hoping that Hardy was simply dinged up a bit and the issue won’t have any long-term effects.

Matt was expected to challenge for the AEW World Tag Team Titles during the Road Rager episode of AEW Dynamite. That plan went awry as his brother Jeff was pulled from the match due to his recent DUI arrest.

Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline had reported that even if Jeff’s DUI incident never happened, AEW had plans of pulling him from the match as he had a brain scan scheduled.

Former WWE Employee: ‘Meetings There Are Straight Out Of A Dumb Comedy’

Andrew Ravens
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Dan Ryckert, who worked for WWE, on podcasts and other projects recently left the company. Since his departure, he has been vocal about several things in regard to the backstage environment.

Ryckert spoke about a specific corporate meeting that he took part in while with WWE during an interview with MinnMax including the start of The New Day podcast. 

He recalled what the meetings were like, which reminded him of a dumb comedy movie. 

“But it’s more like running from meeting to meeting and kinda dealing with more of the corporate crap. These meetings and stuff, they feel like they’re straight out of a dumb comedy or something where like nobody could ever be this way. I remember for instance, so we had this business partner when I first started, before the pandemic. They would fly in these experts, these podcast marketing experts from Beverly Hills. It was always a big deal where it’s like, okay, we’re gonna have a three or four hour meeting with this company. I got pulled into this room and there’s this whole PowerPoint thing and they’re trying to think of ways to do a podcast with the New Day. The New Day, as a wrestling fan and a friend of those guys, the answer is let them talk because they are hilarious. Don’t screw with the rapport, we don’t have to overproduce this thing and put all of these segments [together] and stuff.

Ryckert continued on to detail some of the ideas that the partnering company had like using words such as “epic.” He noted that the people pitched working with Color Run for a podcast, which would’ve seen New Day doing a podcast while running in traffic. There was another pitch where New Day would play video games while doing a podcast and call it ‘Ya Boys Are Twitchin?’

Ryckert did recently admit how WWE has a culture of fear behind the scenes.

H/T to Fightful for the transcription

Athena Talks Passion For Wrestling Being Sucked Out At WWE

Steve Fall
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AEW star Athena recently spoke with SEScoops correspondent Steve Fall for NBC Sports Boston about Athena’s love for wrestling being “sucked out” towards the end of her WWE run.

Ember Moon

“I do… right so it became work and I think like a lot of people will hopefully understand what I mean by that like we have the craziest coolest job in the world where no day is the same when you walk in it’s constantly changing chaos you know and something about that drew me to it, but over the course of like six seven years with WWE it became work and it became okay what do we got to do okay and I wasn’t so much passionate as much as I was like wanting to do a good job if that makes sense and so when I like left it was like I got to sit at home for three months and just kind of figure out what I wanted to do and I didn’t necessarily know if I wanted to wrestle again it was just like ah okay because I was afraid that I would go like and it would feel like work and so like on some level yeah I feel like the passion was sucked out“

Naomi to Make Return to TV, but Not for WWE

Thomas Lowson
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Naomi hasn’t been seen on WWE TV since her now-infamous walkout during the May 16, 2022 episode of Raw.

“The Glow” alongside Sasha Banks walked out due to a creative difference with the planned main event, which would have seen Naomi earn a shot at the Raw Women’s Title.

The duo, then the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, believed the match would lessen the importance of their titles, and while Naomi hasn’t been seen since, she will soon be back on TV.

Naomi’s Appearance

On Twitter, the fan-run account @NaomiWWENews announced that the former SmackDown Women’s Champion will feature on an episode of the upcoming season of Celebrity Game Face, hosted by Kevin Hart.

Naomi herself would go on to confirm the news by retweeting this tweet though there is no word on when the episode will air.

More Guests

After over a month off TV, Naomi’s appearance will be a huge deal for WWE fans, but she won’t be the only WWE names around.

Eonline.com reports that WWE Hall of Famers The Bella Twins will also be appearing on the third season of Celebrity Game Face.

The Miz has previously appeared on the show.

Naomi is Spreading Positive Vibes During WWE Suspension

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